Elissa

Founded by Queen Elissa during her exile from the Umbric Empire nearly 600 years ago, Elissa has become the capitol of the kingdom of the same name. Elissa, the kingdom, is ruled by a governor who claims direct descent from Queen Elissa herself and traditionally resides just outside the capitol city. The city and kingdom are now voting members of The Republic and the governor spends much of his time in attendance.

The city itself is a mish-mash of mining town, industrial metropolis and thriving port city.

In the north the miners family's live and work their gardens. Minersville, as the locals call it, resembles any mining town, mostly women, children and the infirm roam the streets, the able-bodied men being away at the mines for three months at a time. This area is led by the somewhat tenuous Miner's Union. They have no real power in the city, but the miner-elected union officials hold a great deal of influence in Minersville.

In the west the industrial giants have built numerous factories producing anything from steam engines to children's toys. The workers in this part of town are usually rather destitute, and with no labor protection the factories hire and fire employees en masse on a daily basis. Most factory foreman do not even have regular staff, opting instead to hire new unskilled labor each day for the minimum possible wage. This area also makes wide use of child labor, as there are many jobs adults are simply too large to accomplish with ease. Most employers do take extra safety precautions for the young laborers, often hiring experienced halflings or gnomes to oversee the work.

In the south east the port district is fairly normal in terms of ports. Ships come and go in the dozens every day, loading and unloading goods, materials and passengers. In the last 10-15 years tourism has picked up in Elissa and the port district has many shops and hotels catering to tourists, including coach services and paid tours of the city.

The government headquarters are along the south wall, near the port. The city government makes its home in the large barracks built against the wall.

In the heart of the city stands its primary tourist attraction. The Basilica was built when the city was first founded by the architect Gustav Calitri, and his then assistant, the famous painter Rachel Wallace. Originally a temple to Bahamut, it has since been adapted to make use of the many vaulted chapels to serve as the city's religious center. The murals within depict the various legends of Bahamut and the birth of the Gods, as well as their struggles. Religious pilgrims from all over the cosmos come to study the paintings and make their prayers in the famous Basilica.